About 230,000 in Massachusetts cast early votes in primaries
Associated Press | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 10 months AGO
BOSTON (AP) — Nearly 230,000 voters in Massachusetts took advantage of early voting last week to cast ballots in the presidential primaries, the first time the state has allowed it.
Democratic Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin said Monday that nearly another 70,000 submitted absentee ballots.
Of the 230,000 early votes cast during the five-day period, about 190,000 were in the Democratic primary. Galvin said that he was pleased with the turnout and that there were no major glitches.
“We believe that early voting was very successful,” Galvin told reporters.
Galvin predicted a healthy turnout on Tuesday when those who didn't cast early ballots can head to the polls.
Galvin said he expected as many as 1.5 million votes could be cast in the Democratic presidential primary, given how uncertain the race remains. That would be a record turnout.
He also estimated a Republican turnout in the range of 350,000, given the strong support President Donald Trump enjoys among Republicans in Massachusetts,
There are two local candidates on the ballot — Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Republican Gov. William Weld, who is challenging Trump for the Republican nomination.
Since absentee ballots have technically not been cast, Galvin said, voters who had a change of heart — or whose candidate may have pulled out of the race — have the option of showing up at their polling location early Tuesday to try to retrieve their absentee ballot before it is formally cast and ask for a new ballot.
Those who took advantage of early voting cannot change their ballot.
There are a handful of special legislative elections and some local ballot questions to be decided Tuesday.
Galvin said he is confident the state will be insulated from any attempts to interfere with voting. He pointed out Massachusetts uses paper ballots.
“We have always had a closed system,” Galvin said. “We are not on the internet.”
Since the 2016 the state has invested in stronger firewalls, Galvin said. His office has seen an uptick in what he described as “malicious” traffic, he said.
Galvin said he has suggested to local voting officials that they have a pool of backup poll workers just in case fears of the new COVID-19 virus keep some workers from the pools.
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